Rotary cylinder printing machine



Dec. 30, 1958 Filed May 25, 1956 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 30, 1958 Filed May 25, 1956 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 30, 1958 A. BU TTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE l2 SheetsSheet 3 Filed May 25, 1956 Dec. 30, 1958 A. BUTTNER 2,865,409

ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1956 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 30, 1958 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 25, ess

Dec. so, 1958 Filed May 25. 1956 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Dec. 30, 1958 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed May 25. 1956 Dec. '30, 1958 A. BUTTNER 2,856,409

ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1956 I 12 Sheets-Sheet s Dec. 30, 1958 A. BUTTNER 2,865,409

ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1956 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Dec. 3 1958 Filed May 25, 1956 A. BUTTNER ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 A Dec. 30,, 1958 I A. BUTTNER 2,866,409

- ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1956 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Dec. 30, 1958 A. BUTTNER 2,866,409

ROTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1956 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 nited States RQTARY CYLINDER PRINTING MACHINE Application May 25, 1956, Serial No. 587,278

Claims priority, application Germany April 7, 1956 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-2S2) This invention relates to cylinder printing machines, more particularly it relates to a driving mechanism for cylinder printing machines with an impression cylinder rotating in one direction with a varying rotational speed and a typebed being reciprocated during the printing operation at a variable speed. I

The known driving mechanisms for cylinder printing machines of this type can be classified into two categories: driving mechanisms where a transition or change of the driving assembly or unit, effecting the variable cylinder rotational speeds, is effected at the beginning and at the end of the printing operation, and driving mechanisms without transition having completely separate driving mechanisms for variable rotation of the impression cylinder and for reciprocation of the typebed.

ln cylinder printing machines with alternating or different drive units for cylinder rotation, the impression cylinder is driven directly from the typebed by toothed racks during the printing operation. The racks engage with toothed segments on the impression cylinder and drive the segments with precisely the same speed as the typebed while additional cylinder rotation is effected by a second driving assembly or unit. Although this arrangement ensures precise printing operation without any special control mechanisms, the transition or change in the drive units for the cylinder is, however, a serious disadvantage. The transition from one unit to the other takes place at the beginning and at the end of the printing operation, at which time both driving units are operating at the same speed for a short length of time. This transition or change of the driving means for rotating the impression cylinder occurs twice during each printing operation and results in serious difliculties in obtaining a smooth operation, especially at higher operational speeds or after the machine has been in use for a period of time.

In order to overcome these difficulties, it was, there fore, suggested to arrange the variable cylinder rotation means and the type bed movement means so as to be independent of one another even during the printing operation. A known mechanism of this type employs curveshaped or oval toothed gears for the impression cylinder, rotating it, during the printing operation, at a variable speed corresponding with the speed of the typebed. The manufacture of such oval gears, however, has not only attendant serious ditliculties,'but there is also no possibility in using such driving mechanisms to compensate or correct for the unavoidable accumulation of tolerances occurring in the manufacture of the driving components. Thus, slur ditiiculties and wear of printing plates or cuts arise; since the precise rolling movement required during the printing operation causes difiiculties even in cylinder machines of other designs which operate with ordinary spur gears.

Another suggested older construction with separate driving mechanisms has the variable drive of the cylinder arranged in such a manner that a constant rotating movement of the impression cylinder is synchronized, during the printing operation, with the typebed speed by means l fifififi Patented Dec. 30, 1958 of a planetary gear controlled by an eccentric cam. This construction was not practical for use since the control mechanism required for synchronizing the uniformly driven impression cylinder with the variably running drive of the typebed movement, during the relatively long printing operation, necessitates too heavy an eccentric stroke means. Also the number of required driving components is very large, rendering a smooth run impossible; consequently the necessary high hourly printing outputs cannot be met.

In contrast to these known cylinder printing machines having an impression cylinder rotating constantly in one direction and at a variable speed, the driving mechanism according to the present invention is distinguished in that it not only eliminates the disadvantages mentioned above but moreover presents advantages which the known mechanisms do not possess.

According to the invention, this is accomplished in that both the typebed and the impression cylinder are driven by independent crank and gear assemblies embodying similar secondary drive characteristics during the printing operation, whereby the remaining speed differential existing between the movement of the typebed and the cylinder is compensated by additional control means.

Consequently, the synchronization of the typebed movement and the impression cylinder rotation, during the printing operation, takes place in two steps. In the first step, an approximate synchronization takes place in that although independent crank assemblies have been selected for the typebed drive, as well as for the impression cylinder drive, the said crank assemblies have more or less similar secondary drive characteristics during the printing operation. It is not necessary that the crank assemblies he basically similar to each other. Differently constructed crank assemblies can be used for the typebed drive and for the cylinder drive so long as the drive characteristics are approximately similar during the printing operation. Precise synchronization of the typebed and cylinder movements during the printing operation is effected through a second step; by means of special additional control means acting either upon the typebed drive or upon the cylinder drive or upon both drives.

To effect variable speeds, particularly the variable rotation speeds of the impression cylinder, the use of a variable speed gear, also known as a lagging crank shaft gearing is particularly advantageous. Advantages will be found in its use in the fact that as a result of the eccentricities between gears as well as by the stroke length of cranks and the length of the coupling members connecting the gears, it is possible to accomplish a substantial synchronization of both separate drives during the first step of synchronization between typebed and cylinder movement, no matter by what type of variable speed drive the typebed is driven. Of course, approximate synchronization between the speed of the typebed and the cylinder can also be accomplished by using other crank drivesand especially those similar to the variable speed gear.

A particular advantage of the variable speed drive is the fact that only simple, elementary components are used such as levers, bolts and sleeves. These component parts can be easily manufactured with the greatest degree of precision and have a most favorable degree of resistance to wear and tear in comparison to slide rings, grooved keyways, etc. which are used in various other crank assemblies and are more difficult to manufacture with precision. However, the latter components can also be employed in accordance with the present invention. The rotation of the printing cylinder at alternating variable angular speeds is, therefore, effected With a high degree of. precision by the use of the variable speed drive, which is essential for this type of cylinder printing machines in order to ensure smooth running even afterthe machine. has beeninoperation for a considerable length of time.

The variable speed drive can either be constructed as an intermediate gearwheel drive or arranged directly on the journal of the cylinder axle.

During the second step of synchronization, according to the invention, only the remaining slight difference in relative movement of typebed and impression cylinder is compensated during the printing operation by additional control means. This final synchronization of the typebed and cylinder movement during the printing operation can be accomplished by. known control mechanisms.

The exact synchronization of typebed and cylinder movement during the printing operation can be accomplished on the impression-cylinder drive. In this case, the control gear for precise synchronization is timed with the variable speed drive. driving the-cylinder, whereby at twice transferred rotary motion is transferred to the impression cylinder to make it correspond .preciselywith'the movement of the typebed during the printingoperation. Thus, with this type of synchronization the impression cylinders speed is adapted totthe typebed speed. Adaptation of the printing cylinder speed to that of the typebed is accomplished in one embodiment by having a roller lever actuated into a positive vibratory movement by two stationary cam plates during the revolution of the said lever produced by the variable speed drive and which is transferred to a gearwheel being in engagement with the drive wheel of the impression cylinder.

However, synchronization can be effected by having the control device operate or act on the typebed drive. Thus, the typebed speed is adjusted to the impression cylinder speed. A very simple possibility of this manner of synchronization is presented by typebed drives where the typebed is driven by a rolling gearwheel moving back and forth and actuated by a crank drive. Synchronization can be efiectuated by having a toothed rack forcibly displaced by two cam disks in the base. This manner of synchronization applied for the first time, to cylinder printing machines with variably rotating impression cylinders, renders possible in relatively simple manner the construction of efiicient fast-running cylinder printing machines of the type in which the variably rotating impression cylinders only perform one revolution during the back and forth movement ofthe typebed.

Moreover, the precisesynchronization of typebed and impression cylinder movement'can also be accomplished by allowing the control mechanism to operate simultaneously on the typebed drive and the cylinder drive.

All the types. of mechanisms used to obtainprecise synchronization require that all finish tolerances accumulated during the construction of the machine be compensated at the time the cam disks are gauged for the control elements so that smooth running can be accomplished without any diificulty under all conditions and speeds of operation. It is generally known that this is the most critical point with all types of fast-running cylinder printing machine driving mechanisms since any shock or play occurring will result in rapid wear and tear of the parts and will be the cause of so-called work-ups within the type forms.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of various embodiments and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the typebed and cylinder drive of a cylinder printing machine with oscillating crank guide for driving the typebed and a variable speed drive fordriving the cylinder in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the typebed drivefseen from above.

Fig. 3 is a partial'side elevation of the cylinder driving mechanism showing a variable speed drive for driving the impression cylinder.

4 is a cross section of the cylinder drive shown in Fig. Sis a partial side elevation of a cylinder drive having the variable speed drive arranged on the journal of the impression cylinder.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the cylinder drive shown in Fig. 5 and taken on line VIVI thereof.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the typebed and cylinder drive of a cylinder printing machine having the variable speed drive arranged between the typebed drive and cylinder gearing.

Fig. 8 is a view of the typebed driving components in Fig. 7, as seen from above.

Fig. 9 is a partial side elevation of the typebed and cylinder drive where the variable speed drive has a builtin control mechanism for compensating the rotational speed of the impression cylinder to that of the typebed.

Fig. 10 is a cross section of the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 9 and taken on line XX thereof.

Fig. 11 is a plan sectional view of the driving mechanism shown in Figs. 9 and '10.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a typebed and cylinder driving mechanism of a cylinder printing machine having a rotating crank slide drive for the typebed movement and having a variable speed drive for the impression cylinder.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the gear box showing the essential components of the rotating crank slide and taken on the line XIII-XIH of Fig. 12, as seen from above.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the gear box taken on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15. is a diagram of speed-time curves of the impression cylinder and the typebed including the compensation of the speed of the typebed to that of the impression cylinder, according to the control mechanism of Figs. 1, 2, 7, 3 and 12.

Fig. 16 is a diagram of speed-time curves of the im pression cylinder and the typebed including the compensation of the speed of the impression cylinder to that of the typebed according to the control mechanisms of Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 4 there is shown an embodment of the invention having the movement of the typebed effected by an oscillating crank guide while the impression cylinder is driven by an eccentric double crank drive or variable speed drive.

The printing machine has a base frame 1 on which a typebed 2 is reciprocated in known manner on roller guides 3 by a roller gearwheel 4 which engages a toothed rack 5, and also engages a toothed rack 6, the rack 6 either movably guided in the base frame or arranged in a fixed position. The gear wheel 4 is carried by a connecting rod 7, the other end of which is connected to a rocking levcr 9 by means of a pin 8. The lower end of the rocking lever is rotatably mounted on pin 10 in the base frame 1. Each side of the rocking lever 9 has a slide guide 11 and 11a in which slide rings 12 and 12a engage. The slide rings 12 and 12a are rotatably mounted on pins 13 and 13a which are fixed to gear wheels 14 and 14a arranged on both sides of the rocking lever 9. (Fig. 2). The gear wheels 14 and 14a are fixed to the ends of shafts 45 and 45a which are rotatably mounted in the base frame 1. Upon rotation of gear wheels 14 and 14a, the rocking lever 9, through the pins 13 and 13a and the slide rings 12 and 12a, is brought into a variably oscillating movement so that it moves slowly during the printing operation of the typebed 2 and rapidly during the return stroke. The uniform speed of rotation of gear wheels 14 and 14a is effected by gear wheels 15 and 15a which are rigidly fixed on a shaft 16 mounted in the base frame. Shaft ldcarries a larger gear 17 which is engaged by a pinion 18 on a flywheel shaft 19 which carries, outside the base frame, a flywheel 29 which is mounted on the base 1 as well as on a gear box cover 21. The driving elements have been selectedly dimensioned and arranged in such a Way so that the gear wheels 14 and 14a make one revolution per impression and for movement into a variable movement.

each revolution effect a complete back and. forth movea gear Wheel 23 which is engaged with the flywheel pinion 18. The gear wheel 23 is fixed to a shaft 24 which is rotatably mounted on base frame 1 and on the gear box cover 21 and carries a pinion 25. The pinion 25 engages a gear wheel 26 which makes a uniform rolling movement in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 1) and possesses the same pitch diameter as the gear wheels 14 and 14a. Thus, when the gear wheels 14 and 14a rotate once, the gear wheel 26 also performs a complete revolution during each back and forth movement of the typebed.

As shown in Fig. 4, the gear wheel 26 is rotatably mounted on a flange 27 which is rigid on the base frame 1. At a distance x, from the axis or center of the flange 27, there is provided a stationary pin 28 pressed into the flange 27 on which a gear Wheel 29 is rotatably mounted. An eccentric pin 30 is pressed into gear wheel 29 close to its outermost radius and a pin 31 is pressed into gear wheel 26 in the same manner. Both pins connect a coupling link 32, which is rotatably mounted on these two pins, to effect a variable speed drive, the main characteristic of which is the transformation of a uniform A gear wheel 33 is engaged with the gear wheel 29 and is rigidly fixed to a journal 22a of the impression cylinder 22. The gear wheel 26 which rotates at uniform speed drives the gear wheel 29 in the same direction by means of the coupling connection 32. As a result of the eccentric displacement of the center of rotation of gear wheel 29 by the amount x as compared with the center of rotation of the gear wheel 26, the rotation of the gear wheel 29 does not take place uniformly but with alternating angular velocity. This rotation of the gear wheel 29 with alternating angular velocity is also transferred to the impression cylinder 22 by the gear wheel 33 so that the impression cylinder rotates at variable speeds in the direction indicated by the arrow. (Fig. 3).

The operation of the above described drive is as follows:

The drive is actuated through a V-belt pulley disk 29a fixed to the flywheel 20 the said pulley driving the shaft 19 and the pinion 18. The pinion 18 drives the gear wheel 17, the shaft 16, and the gear wheels and 15a fixed to this shaft. The gear wheels 15 and 15a drive the gear wheels 14 and 14a with uniform speed and the latter, by the pins 13 and 13a and the slide rings 12 and 12a give the rocking lever 9 a variable oscillation. As a result, the typebed is reciprocated by the connecting rod 7, the rolling gear wheel 4 and the typebed toothed rack 5 in conjunction with the rack 6, at variable speeds so that the return movement of the typebed is effected in a shorter period of time'than the movement of the typebed in the direction of the printing operation. The

pinion 18 also drives the gear wheel 23, shaft 24 and gear wheel 25,.drives the gear wheel 26 with uniform speed.

Wheel 26 together with the gear wheel 29 and the coupling link 32 comprise the equivalent of a two-throw-motioncrankshaft drive or a variable speed secondary drive actuating gearwheel 29, the gearwheel 33 and thus the impression cylinder 22 which is'driven at a variable speed.

The variable drive of the typebed by the rocking lever 9 and the variable drive of the impression cylinder by .means of thevariable speed gear 2632, are constructed in such a way that the variable movement of typebed and impression cylinder are'approximately synchronized.

The precisesynchronization of typebed and cylinder movement, i. c. the compensation of the still existing slight diiferences of movements of the typebed and impression cylinder during the printing operation, is effected by addi tional control means which'may operate either on the drive of the impression cylinder, and by so doing, adapt its.variable rotational speed, during the printing operation to the movement of the typebed, or operate on the drive of the typebed in order to adjust its movement to that of the impression cylinder.

In the above described embodiment of the invention (Figs. 1-4), synchronization takes place in the last mentioned manner, i. e. by adjusting the typebed movement to the cylinder movement by controlling the movement of the roller wheel rack 6 movably guided in the base frame. For this purpose, the rack 6 is connected with two brackets or arms 34 and 35, the free ends of which are guided in the base frame. On the arm 34 there is a cam follower or roller 36 and on the arm 35 there is a similar cam follower 37, each rotatably mounted. The roller 36 works together with or follows a cam disk 38 which is fixed to the gear wheel 14a while the roller 37 operates together with a cam disk 39 fixed to gear Wheel 14. The cam disks 38 and 39 are shaped to make the rack 6 perform a short back and forth movement when the gear wheels 14 and 14a rotate once. The rate of speed and length of this short stroke are in accordance with the desired correction of the typebed movement during the printing operation so that it is completely synchronous with the movement of the impression cylinder during the printing operation. It will be recognized that the same can be accomplished by using only one bracket carrying both cam followers and one gear wheel having both cams fixed to it, or even only one cam.

Figures 5 and 6 show the possibility of arranging the variable speed drive, driving the cylinder, directly on the journal of the impression cylinder. The sequence of operations driving from the main drive axle 19 to the gear wheel 25 remain completely unchanged thereby, only the following drive members of the cylinder drive, deviate from the construction described previously, the gear wheel 25 is engaged with an intermediate wheel 50 which drives a gear wheel 51 which has the same diameter as the gear wheels 14 and 14a (Figs. 1 and 2).

The gear wheel 51 is rotatably mounted on a flange 52 which is fixed to a side frame of the base 1. The flange 52 surrounds the journal of the impression cylinder 22, and is eccentrically mounted at a distance x1 from the impression cylinder axis. At the outer end of the journal a crank 53 is fixed carrying on its free end a pin 56. A bolt or eccentric pin 55 is fixed in the gear Wheel 51 close to its periphery. A link or crank arm 54 rotatably mounted on a pin 55 and on a pin 56 connects the crank 53 with the gear wheel 51. The rotation of gear wheel 51 at a constant speed carrying the pin 55 effects a variable rotation of the crank 53 and the impression cylinder 22 due to the eccentric displacement of the axis of rotation of the gear wheel 51 relative to the axis of rotation of the impression cylinder by the distance x1. The second described embodiment of the variable speed gear of the impression cylinder is only a construction deviation which basically changes nothing in the operation of the impression cylinder.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this embodiment, variable speed drives are utilized for the variable impression cylinder movement as well as for the typebed drive.

Figs. 7 and 8 show the typebed 62in base frame 61 movably mounted on roller guides 63. The typebed is reciprocated by a rolling gear wheel 64 which works together with a typebed rack 65 and the rack 66 guided in the base. The rolling gear wheel .is driven by a connecting rod 67 which is hinged to a crank shaft 68. The crank shaft 68 is mounted on the base frame and carries on an end protruding into a gear box 81, an outer crank 69 which isconnected by-bolt 79 to one end link 85 forms a variablespeed drive.

'ofa coupling link 71, the outer end of which is connected by bolt 72 to the gear wheels 74 and 74a. The gear wheels 74 and 7411 are rotatably mounted on a flange 73 and a trunnion 73a eccentrically disposed a distance x2 relative to the crank shaft 68 in the gear box 81 and together with the crank 69 form a variable speed drive. The gear wheels 74, 74a of this drive engaged the gear wheels 75 and 75a which are rotatably mounted in the gear box 81 by means of trunnions 76 and 76a. A gear wheel 77 is coaxially connected with the gear'wheels 75, 75a and is engaged with a pinion 73 of the main drive shaft 79, the free end of which carries the drive pulley 80. The main drive shaft 79 drives the crank shaft 68 and thus the typebed 62 at a variable speed through the speed gear consisting of members 69 to 74.

The impression cylinder 82 drive is actuated by the gear wheel 74 which is engaged with a gear Wheel 87 (Fig. 7) of the same dimension. The gear wheel 87 carries a pin 86 and is connected by means of a coupling link 85 and a pin 88 with a gear wheel 84 engaged with the gear wheel 33 of the impression cylinder 82. Since the axis of the gear wheel 84 is offset from the axis of gear wheel 87, a variable rotating movement is imposed upon the impression cylinder.

In the embodiment of the drive according to Figs. 7 and 8, the variable speed drive for driving the impression cylinder 82 is constructed as an intermediate gear drive. Of course, the embodiment can also be effected by directly arranging the variable speed drive of the impression cylinder 82, on the journal of the impression cylinder as is shown and described in Figs. and 6.

The operation of the above described drive is as follows: the main drive shaft 79 and the pinion 78, the gear wheel 77, the double gear wheel 75, 75a, the gear wheels 74, 74a and the gear wheel 87 are all driven and typebed rack 65 in connection with the base toothed rack 66, to the typebed 62. The uniform rotating speed of the gear wheel '74 is passed on to the gear wheel 87 which together with the. gear wheel 84 and the coupling The variable secondary drive of this variable speed drive is transferred by the gear wheel to the impression cylinder gear wheel83 and thus to the impression cylinder 82. Since the typebed as-well as the impression cylinder are driven by essentially similar drives, substantial synchronization of movement between the variably running impression cylinder and the variably running typebed exists. The precise adjustment of the relative movement of the typebed to that of the impression cylinder can again take place by means of controlling the rolling gear wheel toothed rack 66 in accordancme with the manner in which the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is corrected. The said rolling gear wheel rack'66 is provided with arms 89 and 89a, the free ends of whichlead into the base and which carry cam followers or rollers 90 and 91. The crank shaft 68 carries two rigidly connected cam disks 9?. and 93 which actuate the rollers 90 and91. Thus,-each rotation of the crank shaft 68'causes a reciprocation of the rollinggear wheel rack 66, positioned in the base, by which action; the typebed movement is corrected and synchronized "to the impression cylinder movement in such away that there is complete agreement in the relative movement between impression cylinder and typebed during the printing stroke.

In the embodiments of the invention described so far,

, crank 105.

the complete synchronization between cylinder movement on, the one hand and typebed movement on the other during theprinting operationshoul'd be effected by correcting the movement of'the typebed during the printing operation and adjusting it to that of the impression cylinder. The Figs. 9, 10 and 11, show by way of example, an arrangement which renders the opposite approach possible, via, the correction and adjustment of the impression cylinder movement-to'the uncorrected typebed movement. It will be understood that it makes no difference as to what type of crank drives are utilized for the typebed or the cylinder drive. The above mentioned example shows the correction of this drive and its adjustment to the typebed movement by means of a variable speed drive for the impression cylinder. According to Figs. 9-11, the drive for the speed drive is derived from a-rotated gear wheel which is rotating at a uniform speed and meshes with a gear wheel 101 having the same diameter. The gear wheel 101 carries a fixed pin 102 on which the coupling link 103 is'pivotally mounted, the other end of which is pinjointed with a crank 105 by means of a pin 104. The crank 105 is rigidly connected with a pin or shaft 106 which is rotatable in a flange 107 upon which is mounted the gear wheel 101. The shaft 106 is mounted on'its other end in a gear box cover 109 as journal 108. In this manner, the gear Wheel 101 and the crank .105 form a variable speed drive connected to each other by link 103 in the same manner as described previously. However, the variable rotation of crank 105 produced there- 'by .is not used directly to drive the cylinder. The rotation is first corrected in such away that the cylinder is rotated during the printing operation with the same variable speed with which the typebed is moving.

The following driving means'have been provided to effect this control. A second crank 110 is rigidly connected to shaft 106 and is in the same angularposition as crank 105 on shaft 106. Between the cranks 105 and 110 connected rigidly with the shaft 106, a gear wheel 111 rotates freely in engagement with the impression cylinder drive wheel 112. The gear wheel 111 carries a firmly secured pin 113 upon which one of the ends of a connecting link 114 is rotatably mounted. The other end of link 114 is hinged to a' lever 116 by the pin 115 (Figs. 9 and 11). The lever 116 ispinned with a bolt 117 which is rotatably mountedin the bearing eyelet of the crank 110. A twin roller or two arm lever 118 isconnected with the pin 117. The twin roller lever 118 carries on one arm a roller 119 and on the other a J roller'120. 'Theroller 119 cooperates witha cam disk 121 and the roller 120 with a cam disk 122. Both disks are fastened to the gear box cover 109; thus, they are arranged in stationary position. When the crank 110 rotates, which takes place as already mentioned variably, the rollers 1'19 and 120 mounted to the double lever 118 make a rolling movement on both the cam disks 121 and 122, thereby producing an oscillating correction movement.

The gear wheel 101 rotates at a uniform speed, being driven by gear wheel100. By reason of the eccentric position x3 of the axis of gear Wheel 101 with respect to the axis of shaft .106 on which crank 105 is fixed, the link 103 connecting the pin 102 on gear .101 with the pin 104 on the crank 105 transmits a variable speed to As the crank 110 is also fixed on the same shaft 106, it rotates at the same-variable 'speed as crank 105. The crank 110 drives the lever 118, which is mounted on the bolt or axle117 of the crank 110, around the cam disks '121, 122 so that this two-arm lever 118 and the axle 117 receive an oscillating movement in ac cordance with the shape of cam disks 121, 122. This oscillating movement is transferred by the lever 116 and thecoupling' link 114 to the gear wheel 111. Thus, the gear 111, in addition to the variable rotating movement of the crank 110, is forced to make a corrected move ment which is transformed by the impression cylinder drive gear wheel 112 to the impression cylinder 115.

Another combination of crank drives is shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14. The impression cylinder is in this case driven by a variable speed drive while the variable typebed movement is produced by means of a rotating crank slide drive. The variable speed drive of the impression cylinder 150 takes place in a similar manner to the above described embodiments of this type having a variable speed drive constructed as an intermediate gear wheel drive and in this embodiment consists of gear wheels 151 and 152 connected by a connecting or coupling link 153. While the gear wheel 151 is driven at a uniform speed through the main drive shaft 154 by a pinion 155, gear wheel 156, gear wheel 157, and gear wheels 158, 158a, the secondary drive of the variable speed drive 151, 152 takes place With alternating angular speed which is transferred from the gear Wheel 152 to the impression cylinder gear wheel 159 and thus on to the impression cylinder 150.

In this embodiment, the drive of the typebed 160 has been constructed as a rolling-wheel-drive and is actuated by a connecting rod 161. The connecting rod 161 cugages a crank 162a of the shaft 162 which is mounted in the 'base of the machine and which, as is shown by Fig. 13, receives its variable drive by a rotating crank slide disk 163 which is fixed to the outer end of the crank shaft. The crank slide.disk 163 is provided on both sides with opposite guide tracks 164, 164a; two sliding rings 165 and 165a engage therein which are rotatably mounted on pins 166 and 166a. These pins are fixed to gear Wheels 158 and 158a of which the axis of rotation are eccentrically displaced by the distance x4 from the axis of the crank shaft 162. In a manner similar to the operation of the variable speed drive, the uniformly rotating gear wheels 158 and 158a cause the disk 163 by means of the slide rings 165, 165a and the slots or grooves 164, 164a to move at varying speeds which are in turn transferred to the typebed by the crank shaft 162. The variable speed cylinder drive and the rotating oscillating crank guide are constructed in such a way that their variable secondary drive movement is approximately the same. The complete synchronization between the variable impression cylinder movement and the variable typebed movement can again be accomplished, as shown in Fig. 12, by causing the toothed rack of the rolling gear wheel drive arranged in the base frame'to-make a correction movement in the manner previously described.

Of course, instead of the above manner of adjustment of the typebed movement to the cylinder movement the complete synchronization can also be accomplished by adjusting the cylinder revolution to the'typebed movement as shown by way of example in Figures 9, 10 and 11.

Figs. 15 and 16 shows the speed-time curves which essentially apply to all embodiments described. Fig. 15 shows the speed-time curve of the linear movement of the typebed and the impression cylinder during the entire cycle of operation, in this case, during a complete revolution of the impression cylinder; The dotted curve S1 indicates the typebed movement during a complete revolution of the impression cylinder, i. eefrom O360, while the solid line or curve shows the rolling movement of the impression cylinder itself. As shown by broken line curve S1 for the movement of the typebed during the printing operation, -220", the speed varies but is relatively slow while the return movement of the typebed, 220360, is also effected with variable, but with increased speed. The solid curve Z1 shows the variable speed of the cylinder during one revolution. The plot of both curves reveals that they have an approximate corresponding plot during the duration of the printing operation and are virtually superimposed. The actual duration of the printing operation itself, the time during 19 which an impression is taken of the inked-up level forrrr of the typebed onto the sheet of the impression cylinder, is shown on the diagram by the time axis section D1. The projection of this time onto curve Z1, the cylinder revolution curve shows that the typebed, at first, moves somewhat faster than the cylinder, thus, the speed of the typebed has to be decreased accordingly by the correcting control movement. reduction is shown in the diagram by the hatched area y1. Towards the end of the printing operation, however, the speed of the typebed must be somewhat increased as shown by the hatched area +3 2. As described previously, this control operation, for instance, can be effected by displacing the lower rolling gear wheel toothed rack, thus, in this particular case the speed of the typebed can be adjusted precisely to that of the impression cylinder by correcting its movements.

Fig. 16 shows the speed-time curve according to which the correction is effected by adjusting the impression cylinder movement to the movement of the typebed. The operating speeds and conditions of typebed and impression cylinder shown are furthermore the same as shown by Fig. 15, only the typebed curve is S2, the cylinder curve Z2, and the impression duration time is D2. The line D2 is projected onto the typebed movement curve as shown by the projection lines terminations because the impression cylinder speed, in this case, is adjusted to the precise typebed speed. The plot of both curves S2 and Z2 reveals that the impression cylinder runs a little too slow at the beginning of the printing cycle as compared with the typebed. The cylinder receives a correction movement which results in an increase of speed which is shown by the hatched area +311. Towards the end of the printing time, however, the speed of the impression cylinder is too high and must be reduced as shown by the hatched area y2.

The above diagrams refer to printing machines incorporating the return movement of the typebed in a shorter time than the run of the typebed in the direction of the printing operation. Such machines require only comparatively small correction movements. Regarding machines constructed differently, where the printing operation and return movement time of the typebed are the same or approximately the same, larger control movements are necessary to correct and synchronize the cylinder and the typebed movement. In such cases, it will be found useful to utilize both the described correction possibilities, i. e. to correct the cylinder movement as well as the typebed movement so that a complete synchronization of both movements is accomplished during the printing operation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a printing press having a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means operative at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of econd drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression cylinder unidirectionally at a variable speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said impression cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed, and a cam-controlled dif ferential drive operatively connected for completely synchronizing thespeeds of the cylinder and the typebed during each impression period intermediate the ends of each impression stroke of the typebed thereby to cause the cylinder and typebed to be in exact registry during each of said impression periods;

2. In a printing press having a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotatable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means operative at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of second drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression.

The amount and time of this speed.

7 3 cylinder unidirectionally at a variable speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating in operation said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said impression cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed, and a camcontrolled differential drive operatively cooperating with said second drive means to completely synchronize the speed of the cylinder with the speed of the typebedduring each impression period intermediate the ends of each impression stroke of the typebed thereby to cause the cylinder and typebed to be in exact registry during each of said impression periods.

3. In a printing press havin a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotatable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means operative at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of second drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression cylinder unidirectionally at a variable speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said impression cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed, and a camcontrolled difierential drive operatively cooperating with said third drive means to completely synchronize the speed of the typebed with the speed of the cylinder during each impression period intermediate the ends of each impression stroke of the typebed thereby to cause the cylinder and typebed to be in exact registry during each of said impression periods.

4. In a printing press having a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotatable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means operating at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of second drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression cylinder unidirectionally at a variable peripheral speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable peripheral speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed, means to completely synchronize the variable speeds of said cylinder and said typebed during the printing operation, said third drive means comprising a rotatably mounted shaft having a first and second crank, connection means between said typebed and said first crank, at

least one gear having its axis of rotation displaced relr ative to the axis of rotation of said shaft, connection means pivotally connected between said second crank and said gear, said connection means being eccentrically connected to said gear, whereby rotation of said gear at a uniform speed reciprocates said typebed at a variable speed.

5. In a printing press having a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotatable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means opcrating at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of second drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression cylinder unidirectionally at a variable peripheral speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable peripheral speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed and means to completely synchronize the variable speeds of said cylinder and said typebed during the printing operation, said second drive means including a rotatably mounted shaft having a first crank, a first rotatable intermediate gear having a selected diameter and its axis of rotation eccentrically displaced relative to the axis of rotation of said shaft, connection means pivotally connected between said first crank and said first gear and eccentrically connected to said first gear, said means to completely synchronize the variable speeds of the cylinder and the typebed including a second crank on said shaft, said first and second cranks being displaced laterally, a second rotatable intermediate gear carrying an eccentric pin, a first link pivotally connecteci at one end to said second crank, a second link pivotally connected between said pin and the other end of said first link, a two-arm lever pivotally connected to said second crank and coaxial with said first link, at least two cam followers one each being carried on each arm of said two-arm lever, and at least one selectively shaped stationary cam cooperating with said cam followers.

6. In a printing press having a base, a typebed reciprocable on said base, a rotatable impression cylinder cooperating with said typebed and first drive means operating at a selected speed to drive and actuate all press mechanisms, the combination of, second drive means actuated by said first drive means for rotating the impression cylinder unidirectionally at a variable periph eral speed, third drive means actuated by said first drive means for reciprocating said typebed at approximately the same variable speed as said cylinder, whereby said cylinder has a variable peripheral speed approximately synchronous with a variable linear speed of said typebed, and means to completely synchronize the variable speeds of said cylinder and said typebed during the print ing operation, said third drive means including a 'crani; guide disk having at least one rotatable intermediate gear having its axis of rotation selectcdly and eccen-- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stussi Jan. 5, 1937 Ranger Sept. ll, 1951 

